


And Yet We Still Fall Apart

by itsnotmyfault



Category: Bakugan Battle Brawlers
Genre: Angst, Comedy, Dimensonal Travel, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, If youre into that, Mourning, Multi, No one knows what they're doing, Post-Season 4, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, actually that 5 percent is everyone needs serious help, chat fic, im back on my bullshit again, its like 95 percent comedy and memes but the other 5 percent is dan needs serious help, me: i guess its time to insert some ptsd into my past favorites show, seriously though where are these kids parents
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-10
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:27:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 12,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21742189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsnotmyfault/pseuds/itsnotmyfault
Summary: Everyone said it was over. Well turns out, people are great liars. (Chat Fic)
Relationships: Other Relationship Tags to Be Added
Comments: 43
Kudos: 72





	1. Hit Start And Try Again

**Author's Note:**

> my readers: it may have been two months since she last posted something, but i cant wait to see what itsnotmyfault will bring to her other stories!  
> me, back on my bullshit, writing a 50 page google doc chat fic on a childhood show that hasnt been spoken of for a decade: oh, you havent heard?
> 
> I will update those stories eventually. After I get my hyperfixiations in check. But only after.

**_> Dan Kuso has created *Staying In Contact*_ **

**_> Dan Kuso has added 5 people to *Staying In Contact*_ **

Marucaho M: Dan!

Shun K: Where are you 

Runo M: Dan I swear to the perfect core

Dan K: dont worry guys

Dan K: Im not dying

Runo M: Wonderful

Shun K: I saw you take a boat 

Shun K: where the hell are you going 

Julie M: Are you running away again 

Dan K: …

Alice G: Dan! You’re ok! I was worried when you didnt show up to the party

Dan K: thanks alice

Runo M: wait! Youre running away again?!

Dan K: i wouldnt call it running away

Dan K: im leaving so other people can rise through the ranks!

Shun K: that sounds like running away

Marucaho M: you litteraly just got back from saving the world

Marucaho M: and youre leaving again

Dan K: its a bit late to turn back now

Julie M: dan

Julie M: do you have any idea where you are

Dan K: uh

Shun K: oh my god

Marucaho M: why did you think leaving by yourself was ever a good idea

Marucaho M: the last time you did that we litteraly were invaded 

Dan K: yeah but theres no way thats gonna happen again

Runo M: famous last words

Dan K: hey shut up

Dan K: besides dragos with me 

Dan K: so its cool

Runo M: if anything thats even worse

Shun K: you and drago have a habit of awakening evil everywhere you go

Marucaho M: how are you even texting us if youre in the middle of the sea

Dan K: I have a hotspot!

Dan K: its solar powered

Dan K: or something like that

Shun K: please tell me you brought food

Dan K: I did!

Dan K: plenty enough to last a 

Dan K: uh

Shun K: ok well you’re not gonna die in the next 2 days so thats nice

Shun K: i hope you brought more than a bag of cheetos

Dan K: wow ok

Runo M: oh god you just brought a bag of cheetos didnt you

Marucaho M: Im going after you 

Dan K: im fine really!

Dan K: and i did just bring more than a bag of cheetos 

Marucaho M: dan every experience with you has taught me that under no circumstance should you be left alone 

Dan K: im not alone

Alice G: with all due respect dan hes right

Julie M: marucaho didnt you plant an gps tracker on him or something

Dan K: YOU WHAT

Marucaho M: hes not that far from shore

Dan K: WHEN DID YOU PLANT A TRACKER ON ME

Marucaho M: im not telling you anything until i drag you back here with my bare hands

Shun K: im coming too

Runo M: Me too!

Alice G: wait for me 

Dan K: wow thanks guys 

Juile M: this is a fucking manhunt

Dan K: drago step on it!

Runo M: why did you type that in here

Dan K: to let you know im not going without a fight

Shun K: thats fine

Dan K: ):

Dan K: oh fuck

**Private Chat: Alice G., Dan K.**

Alice G: dan?

Dan K: whats this

Alice G: you dont have to be scared yknow

Dan K: what

Alice G: you’re worried that youll hurt other people right

Alice G: shun told me about mag mel and all that

Alice G: its understandable that you would want to be alone

Alice G: i know how you feel

Alice G: when we found out about the whole mask thing i thought i was a danger to everyone as well

Alice G: but its not like that

Alice G: no one hates you for what happened

Alice G: i mean you know we are actually going after you right

Alice G: i dont want you to blame yourself

Alice G: no one does

Alice G: dan?

Alice G: you there?


	2. Press W To Move Forward

**Main Chat: Dan K, Shun K… (6)**

Shun K: Alice you coming

Alice G: uh sure

Alice G: lemme get some stuff first

Julie M: wait for me too! 

Runo M: Operation Bring Dan Back is in full swing

Shun K: speaking of which did he drop his phone in the water or something

Marucaho M: knowing him probably

Dan K: no he didn’t

Runo M: what

**Dan K Changed Dan K to Drago**

Drago: hes currently steering right now

Julie M: how are you typing

Julie M: youre a ball

Drago: the power of bakugan knows no bounds

Runo M: forget that why are you letting dan run away?!

Runo M: arent you supposed to be his braincell or something

Drago: no… ?

Shun K: runo did not figure out that drago is just a different kind of stupid

Runo M: apparently not

Drago: im just going to ignore that

Julie M: wait we can change usernames in this?

Shun K: JULIE NO

Julie M: owo

**Julie M changed Runo M to Hastume Miku…2!**

Hastume Miku…2!: what the fuck

**Julie M changed Shun K to Dng**

Dng: i dont get it

Julie M: depressed ninja gay

Dng: dalk;sfsk;dljfaskl;fjaskd

Marucaho M: man you just went for him didnt you

Drago: whats gay mean?

Marcaho M: UH

**Julie M changed Marucaho M to save me**

Save me: please do

Drago: i dont get it

Hastume Miku…2!: shun currently looks like his brain is going through a windows error screen

Save me: oh god he does doesnt he

Julie M: take some pictures i wanna see

Alice G: drago is dan okay

Drago: i told you hes steering

Drago: although i think hes a little mad at something

Save me: oh my god were just trying to save him from dying by his own hands

Hastume Miku...2!: and youres too

Drago: I resent that

Alice G: ...can you tell him we’re just looking out for him?

Julie M: while simtainousley kicking his ass

Alice G: no

Drago: uh sure

Save me: julie change shuns nickname i dont want him to be like this for the whole trip

Save me: we need his skills since dans probably not gonna just walk back on our boat

Julie M: fiiinnnnneeee

**Julie M changed dng to i hope the fuck you do**

I hope the fuck you do: thanks i guess

Julie M: you cant hide forever 

Alice G: im on the boat!

Alice G: now we’re just waiting for julie

**Julie M changed Alice G to the only braincell**

The only braincell: julie please

Drago: i thought all humans had multiple braincells

Save me: those only develop in adulthood

Save me: all teens only run on one braincell

Drago: oh

Drago: that explains a lot

Hastume Miku...2!: WOW

I hope the fuck you do: dans rubbing off on drago i swear

I hope the fuck you do: also julie do me a favor and never “owo” again

Julie M: uwu

I hope the fuck you do: NO

Save me: shun youre just digging yourself a deeper hole

Julie M: wuw

Save me: what is that even supposed to be

Julie M: uwu

Julie M: im almost there guys dont worry

**Drago changed Drago to Dan K**

Dan K: … what happened here

Save me: a massacre

Hatsume Miku...2!: dan save yourself

Dan K: what

Julie M: 0w0

Dan K: thats fuking terrifying

The only braincell: oh no

Julie M: dont worry dan i cant think of a good nickname for you so youre safe 

Julie M: for now

**Dan K changed Julie M to love me billy**

Hatsume Miku...2!: HAH

Hastume Miku...2!: GOT EM

Save me: im gonna be honest i didnt know you had it in you dan

I hope the fuck you do: holy shit

Love me billy: wow ok 

Love me billy: im gonna make your nickname the worst one yet

**Dan K took away Love me billy’s admin privilages!**

Dan K: no you wont

I hope the fuck you do: HAH

Hatsume Miku...2!: GET HER DAN

The only braincell: could you change our nicknames back

Dan K:... nah im too lazy

Dan K: also the main reason i came back was because drago started asking what gay meant and i wanna know why we’re talking about that

I hope the fuck you do: uh acutally we werent

Love me billy: i made a nickname for shun about his gayness and his brain started having a windows error

Dan K: … 

Save me: dan?

Dan K: wait

Dan K: shuns gay?

Hatsume Miku...2!: WAIT

Dan K: shun you came out to everyone here

Dan K: EXPECT ME?!

Save me: WAIT YOU DIDNT TELL HIM SHUN

Hatsume Miku...2!: no way you told me like a year ago

Dan K: YOU DIDNT TELL ME FOR A YEAR?!

I hope the fuck you do: i hate you julie

I hope the fuck you do: so much

The only Braincell; guys with all due respect

The Only Braincell: this probably is better disscussed when its not over chat

Dan K: i honestly dont know how to feel right now so im just gonna agree with you

Save me: then come back

Dan K: no

Hatsume Miku...2!: did you honestly expect that to work 

**Private Chat: i hope the fuck you do, love me billy**

Love me billy: shun i honestly had no idea you didnt tell dan

I hope the fuck you do: its fine

Love me billy: but why not?

Love me billy: dan hasnt been like against it or anything

Love me billy: he was fine when i came out as pan

I hope the fuck you do: i wasnt worried he wouldn’t accept me

I hope the fuck you do: i just

I hope the fuck you do: ugh 

Love me billy: wait

Love me billy: dont tell me

Love me billy: perhaps dan helped you realize it?

I hope the fuck you do: oh no

Love me billy: oh my god

I hope the fuck you do: DONT TELL HIM

Love me billy: i was so deep in heteronormative bullshit

Love me billy: with him and runo

Love me billy: i didnt even realize 

I hope the fuck you do: one peep out of your mouth and i swear to the perfect core

Love me billy: i wont telll himmm

Love me billy: have more faith in me than that

I hope the fuck you do: oh no youre gonna try and set me up with him arent you

Love me billy: uwu

I hope the fuck you do: no 

I hope the fuck you do: i still hate you

Love me billy: bwut mr shwun, plwzzz

I hope the fuck you do: what the fuck 

**Group Chat**

Dan K: shun?

Hatsume Miku...2!: hes fucking dead julie

Love me billy: nwo hews nwot, hews juwst tiwying two cowme up wwith a pwopewr rwespwonse

Save me: what the acutal fuck

Dan K: am i supposed to understand that hellspeak

The only braincell: julie dear

Love me billy: changed my mind

Dan K: wow

Save me: the power of lesbianism

I hope the fuck you do: dan i didn’t realize until now that i didn’t tell you

I hope the fuck you do: im sorry

Dan K: its fine

Dan K: i wasnt mad i was just surprised if anything

Save me: did shun just

Save me: apologize to dna

Dan K: dna

Hatsume Miku...2!: dna

Love me billy: dna

Save me: spare me dammit

Save me: WAIT A SECOND

Save me: DAN WHEN DID YOU START TRAVELING AT 20 MPH

Dan K: hehe

Love me billy: you bastard

Love me billy you distracted us with that converstation on purpose didnt you

Dan K: hey i didnt even know half the shit that was going on so no

I hope the fuck you do: we’re still coming to kick your ass you know

Save me: FULL SPEED AHEAD HES TRAVELING WAY TOO FAST FOR A FUCKING SAILBOAT

The only braincell: isnt like the fastest speed of a sailboat 8mph

Hatsume Miku...2!: this is dan we’re talking about

Hatsume Miku...2!: he finds a way

Dan K: the power of the bakugan lie within me!

Dan K: oh great beasts, i call upon your power to help me escape my shittty friends!

Dan K: expect for you alice

The only braincell: thanks i guess

Hatsume Miku...2!: why did you type that out 

Dan K: (:

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> by the way, there's currently 8 chapters of these


	3. Press S To Move Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for the support on this fic. I honestly expected this to go nowhere and like, there woudl be one comment. But I was pleasently surprised! Thank you all who commented!

Dan K: are you guys actually chasing me

Dan K: i figured youd be here by now

Dan K: its been two days

Save me: shut 

I hope the fuck you do: marucaho has no idea how to steer a ship

Dan K: you guys didnt bring a crew

Hatsume Miku...2!: you made him rush and now we’re trying to find out how to steer a boat

Love me billy: that was your plan along on wasnt it

Dan K: no but this is really funny

Dan K: me and drago were ready to fight

Hatsume Miku...2!: good

Hatsume Miku...2!: keep waiting

Save me: we’ll get to you eventually 

Dan K: i know

The last braincell: dan

The last branicell: what are you running away from?

Dan K: im not running away

Dan K: well now im running away from you guys

I hope the fuck you do: no shit sherlock

Hatsume Miku...2!: is there something youre not telling us

Dan K: i dunno

Save me: were you honestly expecting an answer

Dan K: yeah i think your expectations are too high

I hope the fuck you do: dan our expectations would need to be hell to match what you could actually do

Dan K: wow rude

Love me billy: wow shun ur not wooing anyone like that

Hatsume Miku...2!: what

Dan K: what

Save me: what

The only braincell: what 

I hope the fuck you do: JULIE

I hope the fuck you do: YOURE ON THIN FUCKING ICE

Dan K: wow i havent seen shun this relied up since i stole his skyress themed pen

Save me: relied up?

Dan K: yes

Love me billy: uwu

Dan K: what the fuck

Save me: goddammit dan ur distracting me from sailing

Save me: you knew what you were doing when you created this chat didnt you

Dan K: your the one who started to chase me

The only braincell: we’re making sure you dont die out here

Dan K: since when have i died

I hope the fuck you do: i have a list

Dan K: yeah but theres no way thats gonna happen again

Dan K: OH FUCK 

Save me: famous last words

Hatsume Miku...2!: step on it you tiny excuse for a teenager

Save me: hey im trying

Save me: if dans dead its his own fault

Dan K: i resent that

**Dan K changed Dan K to Drago**

Drago: its fine we just steered off course

The only braincell: you guys actually have a plan

Drago: Oh no

Drago: How do you delete messages

Save me: you cant

I hope the fuck you do: im honestly shocked

I hope the fuck you do: dan actually planned ahead in one of his stupid escapades

Love me billy: i know

Love me billy: or was it drago that planned ahead

Love me billy: 0w0

Drago: That face instills fear I cannot describe

Save me: good

Love me billy: wait!

Love me billy: drago op me

Drago: what

Save me: drago dont please

Drago: what does op mean

Love me billy: give me the power to edit nicknames

Drago: uh ok?

I hope the fuck you do: DONT

**Drago has given love me billy admin privliages**

Hatsume Miku...2!: NO

Drago: i have a bad feeling about this

Love me billy: dont worry uwu

Love me billy: you made the right choice

Save me: drago you unleased her again

Save me: what the fuck

Love me billy: uwu

**Love me billy has changed love me billy to God herself**

**God herself has changed the only braincell to why does she have a knife**

Why does she have a knife: oh no

Save me: how do you edit nicknames

**God herself has removed save me’s admin privileges!**

**God herself has removed i hope the fuck you do’s admin privliages!**

Save me: GOD DAMMIT DRAGO

Drago: i have no idea whats going on

I hope the fuck you do: just tell dan to get back on his phone

God herself: ): why cant i remove dans admin privileges

**Drago has changed Drago to Dan K**

**Dan K has removed God herself’s admin privileges!**

**Dan K has changed God herself to love me ace**

Save me: HAH   
  


Love me ace: that was a one time thing!

Dan K: ok dont worry i made sure that dragos never doing that again

Dan K: ooh maybe we should get ace and the others on here

Love me ace: that’d be cool actually

I hope the fuck you do: id imagine they’d actually be responsible

Why does she have a knife: itd be nice to have more than one braincell on here

Save me: guys

Save me: theyre in a different dimension

Dan K: eh im sure we could make it work 

**Why does she have a knife changed why does she have a knife to Braincell 1**

**Braincell 1 has changed Dan K to Kan D**

Kan D: what 

**Braincell 1 has changed Hatsume Miku...2! To Twin Drills**

Save me: wait alice is in the cockpit

Kan D: JULIE

Twin Drills: you try to make food for 20 minutes and when you come back this is what ahppens

**Kan D has taken away Braincell 1’s admin privileges**

**Kan D has changed Kan D to Dan K**

Dan K: Im sorry alice ):

I hope the fuck you do: ahppens

Twin Drills: akdslasjfsladk stop calling me out like this

Braincell 1: this is alice

Braincell 1: and goddman you julie now i dont have rights

Dan K: ur valid just not on this chat ):

Love me ace: why wasnt i able to take your rights ):

Dan K: cause i made this chat :)

**Twin Drills has changed Dan K to invalid**

Invalid: ):

Twin Drills: its true

Invalid: its true but you shouldn’t say it

Braincell 1: wait what

Invalid: anyways

Invalid: i need to go steer again to make sure we dont hit a seal or smth

Save me: a seal???

Save me: your not anywhere near where seal live?

I hope the fuck you do: where is he anyway

Save me: about 100 miles ahead of us

I hope the fuck you do: WHAT

Invalid: not my fault you guys are so SLOW

Twin Drills: we’re not marucaho just doesnt know how to STEER

Save me: im SORRY

Twin Drills: you should BE

**Invalid has changed Invalid to Dan K**

**Dan K is now offline**

Twin Drills: thats the first time anyones ever gone offline

I hope the fuck you do: just go with it

Braincell 1: are we just going to ignore the fact that dan self deprecated?

Love me ace: oh wait

Love me ace: your right

I hope the fuck you do: hes gonna go insane if we leave him alone

Braincell 1: marucaho hurry please

Save me: what do you think im doing

Twin Drills: not hurrying

Save me: oh ye of little faith

Save me: dont worry i figured out where the acclerate button is

Braincell 1: WHY ARE WE HEADING TOWARDS A ROCK   
  
Save me: OH FUCK

I hope the fuck you do: i swear to god if we die here

I hope the fuck you do: i will haunt dan for the rest of his life

Save me: oPIHWOPEUBRbaupowefipboasgb9uowiraj


	4. Press P To Check Your Party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok so ive come up with some sort of upload schedule for this fic: every time i finish writing a new chapter, i post the next one. How long this will last is anyones guess.

**Dan K is now online**

Dan K: uh

Dan K: is everyone alive

Save me: im in the hospital wing

Dan K: what?!

I hope the fuck you do: hes fine he just hit his head on the keyboard because he hit the brakes so hard we all launched into the wall

Twin Drills: he got a concussion

Dan K: your ok right?

Save me: im dying

Love me ace: hes fine

Braincell 1: dont worry about us

Dan K: uh ok 

Dan K: anyways

**Dan K added Mira F, Keith F, Ac…(5) to Staying in Contact**

Save me: no way

Mira F: Hello!

Keith F: is this the “group chat” thing you were talking about?

Dan K: yup!

I hope the fuck you do: the madman actually added them

Baron L: i dont remember anyone named that

Dan K: oh those are just nicknames

Mira F: I thought nicknames were supposed to make it shorter and easier to pronounce?

Save me: just go with it

Mira F: Who are you?

Love me ace: uh save me is marucaho, twin drills is runo,braincell 1 is alice, i hope the fuck you do is shun, and im julie

Ace G: um

Love me ace: uh

Dan K: dsafadsfasf

Keith F: Interesting “nickname” you got there

Love me ace: marucaho you can go ahead and crash the boat this time

Save me: no i dont think i will

Dan K: wait a second

**Dan K changed love me ace to dear god help me**

Baron L: these are some interesting nicknames

Dan K: julie made up most of them

Keith F: Nice

Twin Drills: wait

**Twin Drills changed Keith F to spectergadget**

Spectergadget: what

Dan K: did you seriously just name him after inspector gadget

Twin Drills: yes

Baron L: whos inspector gadget

Save me: oh god the themes already playing in my head

Dear god help me: go gadget go-

Save me: STOP

Save me: ugh now my head hurts even more

Mira F: Are you ok?

Save me: no

Save me: i was rammed headfirst into a control panel

Ace G: how did that happen

Dear god help me: marucaho doesnt know how to drive a boat

I hope the fuck you do: like at all

Mira F: Are you guys going on a vacation or something?

Dan K: They're trying to kidnap me

Baron L: what?!

Braincell 1: no we’re not!

I hope the fuck you do: i guess it could count as kidnapping

Save me: yeah he’s running away so we’re kiddnapping him back home 

Dan K: help me

Twin Drills: dont you dare play the victim here

Gus G: Isnt he the victim though…?

Mira F: Dan if they’re trying to kidnap you you’re always welcome as new vestoria

Twin Drills: we’re not taking him against his will

Dan K: yes you are

Braincell 1: he’s running away and we’re chasing him

Braincell 1: we’re NOT KIDDNAPPING ANYONE

Braincell 1: GOT IT

Dan K: yes you are

Mira F: It sounds like you are

I hope the fuck you do: well its for a good cause

I hope the fuck you do: do you think dan can survive alone on a tiny boat

Mira F: … Fair point

Dan K: ):

Dan K: i thought you were on my side mira

Mira F: Yeah but leaving you alone is not a smart choice

Ace G: Remember when me and mira went out on patrol and shun and marucaho went away training with baron?

Ace G: im pretty sure mira died inside when we came back

Ace G: I know I did

Baron L: with all due respect, they’re sort of right 

Dan K: i cant believe this bullying

Spectergadget: yo twin drills

Twin Drills: what

Spectergadget: do you want me to bully him telepathically like i did before i came over to your side

Dan K: I DONT APPORVE OF THIS

Twin Drills: hell yeah

Dan K: oh no

Dan K: i still haven’t forgiven you for ruining taco night

Mira F: Please dont yell

Spectergadget: you cant tell me what to do 

Save me: asl;dkfaskjldfkd

Spectergadget: gus get the machine ready

Gus G: yes sir!

Dan K: fuck

Dan K: k im gonna knock myself out

**Dan K changed Dan K to Drago**

Drago: whats going on

Baron L: hi drago!

Drago: dans standing at the tip of the boat and he looks like hes going to jump

Drago: oh nvm hes just standing there

Drago: meancingly

Twin Drills: DID DRAGO JUST  _ MEME _

I hope the fuck you do: what a time to be alive

Mira F: Oh god

Mira F: Keith and gus are gonna do that stupid physic link again

I hope the fuck you do: a part of me was fully convinced he had just fully snapped the first time that happened

Drago: dan said “tell shun he figured that out too late”

Save me: why are moving so fast past the fact that DRAGO MEMED

Drago: to quote dan again “he spent time around me what do you expect”

Dear god help me: you know hes right

Mira F: Oh god its begun

Mira F: Keiths yelling again

Mira F: “DAN! GET YOUR ASS BACK HOME!”

Drago: dan has yet to react 

Drago: hes acutally really quiet its strange

Mira F: “DAN, I WILL KICK YOUR ASS IF YOU DON’T LISTEN TO YOUR FRIENDS!”

I hope the fuck you do: has he responded yet

Drago: “YOU CANT TELL ME WHAT TO DO SPECTRA!”

Mira F: “YES I CAN”

Drago: “YOU’VE BEATEN ME LIKE ONCE YOU HOLD NO POWER OVER ME!”

Mira F:”WE CAN HAVE A REAL BRAWL THEN WE’LL SEE WHO’S THE REAL KING!”

I hope the fuck you do: oh my god

Drago: “IF OIWIOIK MWonapew

Twin Drills: uh

Save me: drago you ok

Mira F: Keith suddenly went silent I’m worried

Baron L: Dan?!

Gus G: No one panic

Gus G: But keith said that dan may or may not have fallen in the water


	5. Press F To Pay Respects

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> guess who got done with another chapttterrr and whos also dying inside because of school

Twin Drills: WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE FALLEN IN THE WATER

Save me: oh my god please tell me drago’s dragging him back up 

Baron L: dans a good swimmer right?! Dan can swim back to the boat right?!

Save me: i think??? I hope so 

Gus G: update

Gus G: dan did not fall into the water

Save me: oh thank god

Gus G: somehow hes being dragged into the water

Mira F: WHAT   
  


Ace G: its been like 10 minutes and this is already a disaster

Gus G: keiths trying to stay in contact with him 

Dear god help me: please tell me dragos saving him

Braincell 1: we need to get their stat!

Save me: what do you think I can do im in the hostpital wing

Gus G: keiths lost contact with dan

Gus G: hes either fainted or dead

I hope the fuck you do: if dans dead we’ll ressurct him just to kill him again

Baron L: please don’t say that!

Ace G: you can ressurct him?

Braincell 1: no we can’t!

I hope the fuck you do: drago? You there?

Ace G: i doubt dan is dead

Ace G: he’s survived weirder bullshit before

Twin Drills: i am going to smack him SO HARD when i see him again

I hope the fuck you do: make sure he isnt dead first

Twin Drills: dans not dead

Save me: how do you know?!

Twin Drills: trust me

Twin Drills: id know if he was dead

Braincell 1: i am now steering the ship 

Twin Drills: hell yeah 

Braincell 1: why is the tracker only for x and y coords

Save me: i didn’t think dan would be DRAGGED INTO THE OCEAN

Save me: so i thought that x and y would be good enough to keep track of him

I hope the fuck you do: you should know by now that dan never does anything by halves

Braincell 1: okay it looks like he’s not moving at all

Twin Drills: what

I hope the fuck you do: what

Braincell 1: i said what i said

I hope the fuck you do: whatever, just head over there 

Mira F: Should we try and head there as well?

Twin Drills: nah, i think we’ve got this 

Twin Drills: you can be our backup

Spectergadget: Well

Spectergadget: that did not go as planned

Save me: NO SHIT

I hope the fuck you do: i honestly think that could have only gone worse if both of you were in danger

Dear god help me: being dans friend is like signing up for a free heart attack every month

Ace G: I felt that

Baron L: I knew he was a hero but he doesn’t have to go around getting in trouble like this?

Baron L: why did he even run away???

Twin Drills: hell if any of us know

Mira F: It doesnt really fit him to just up and leave

Mira F: Not after something like… that

Ace G: is it not obivous?

Twin Drills: what?

Ace G: He knew this was going to happen

Ace G: Why do you think he left so quickly?

Ace G: He wanted to face this new adventure without putting anyone else in danger

Ace G: So he left on his own to keep everyone else out of trouble

I hope the fuck you do: … that makes a disturbing amount of sense

Twin Drills: if that’s the case, im going to smack him 3 times as hard when we see him again

Save me: if we can find the damn idiot

Mira F: Why do i have a feeling of dread about this whole situation

Ace G: why wouldn’t you is a better question


	6. Press M To Scan For Items

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lmao imagine setting a rule for your updates and then immediately breaking it. 
> 
> You know, I was orginally worried when there was only one comment on the last chapter, but then i remembered this is the bakugan fandom and like, everyone who's still in it has probably commented. So hi, entire fandom.

Mira F: I don’t mean to rush you

Mira F: But have you found any sign of Dan yet

I hope the fuck you do: its been like 2 days 

Braincell 1: we’re still heading over to his location

Save me: i dont know how he got so far ahead of us

I hope the fuck you do: with your driving skills? Im surprised he wasn’t more ahead of us 

Save me: hey i got us this far

Twin Drills: im pretty sure alice is the only one whos helped us make actual progress towards him

Dear god help me: tell him runo

Save me: be nicer to the injured

Twin Drills: No

Baron L: ahhh I’m freaking out!

Baron L: i dont know how you guys are so calm in a situation like this!

Twin Drills: im sure hes alive

Ace G: he’s got too much dumb luck to die now

I hope the fuck you do: im glad we all have so much faith in him

Save me: wow ok

Save me: we’ll arrive at his location by tomorrow

**Drago changed Drago to Dan K**

Twin Drills: D A N ! !

Save me: wh

I hope the fuck you do: you better have a good explation

Dear god help me: *gun emoji*

Branicell 1: dan are you ok?!

Mira F: Dan!

Baron L: You're ok!

Dan K: ok

Dan K: I have reached the end of what a human could conceive as infinity

Save me: h

Baron L: w-what

Ace g: what in the name of the vestoria royal family

Twin Drills: well you're texting us right now 

Dan K: im aware

I hope the fuck you do: dan 

Dan K: yes

I hope the fuck you do: *gun emoji*

I hope the fuck you do: perish

Dan K: ok

Save me: nvm that!! How are you whereever you are?

Braincell 1: that would explain why your tracker isnt moving 

Dan K: It's a long story

Dan K: also alice

Dan K: someone wants to say hi

Braincell 1: ???

**Dan K changed Dan K to Lync**

Lync: Alice!

Gus G: WHAT THE FUCK

Spectergadget: holy shit

Mira F: aren't you dead?

Lync: dead man don't tell no tales

Baron L: whats that supposed to mean

Twin Drills: wait if youre here

Twin Drills: does that mean

Lync: yup! the rest of us vesox are here as well

Lync: and we're holding your little friend hostage

I hope the fuck you do: he sounded pretty happy to me

Lync: hes in denial

Branicell 1: I think you're in denial

Twin Drills: W O W

Dear god help me: you got called out by alice of all people

Dear god help me: thats just sad

Lync: shut

Lync: Im one of the ex commanders of the vestal army

Lync: I should be feared!

Lync: i'll push dan out of our base if you don't respect me!

Lync: oqi2ehapweojsaak;dfdak

**Lync changed Lync to Dan K**

Dan K: well

Dan K: thats enough of that

Dan K: anyways

Gus G: Why are you working with them?!

Spectergadget: Gus 

Gus G: sorry sir

Dear god help me: keith really just went silence bottom huh

Dan K: JULIE

Twin Drills: oh my god

I hope the fuck you do: jeezus chirst 

Save me: JULIE BARON IS 13!

Baron L: 13 and a half!

Ace G: whats a bottom?

Mira F: i dont know

Dan K: OH NO

Spectergadget: oh yeah (:

Twin Drills: it disturbs me how much human culture keith knows

Gus G: is bottom a 

Gus G: insult or something

Spectergadget: you'll understand when you're older

Gus G: sir im the same age as you

Dan K: its better just to not know

Gus G: ...okay?

Dan K: *gun emoji* you're on thin ice julie

Dan K: ANYWAYS

Dan K: im hanging out with these vestals beacuse their dumbasses dont know how to operate a portal

Dan K: they tried to used this weird portal thing they found on this alternate world or somethign

Dan K: instead they opened a black hole in the ocean near where i was

Twin Drills: WHAT

I hope the fuck you do: only you dan

I hope the fuck you do: only you

Dan K: and i got sucked in 

Dan K: dragos here too

Dan K: so im hanging out on this makeshift base of theirs

Dan K: or something

Gus G: dont trust them

Gus G: they'll turn on you the first chance you get

Mira F: he doesnt really have many options Gus 

Gus G: Still

Baron L: im just really glad you're ok dan!

Dan K: thanks baron

Braincell 1: so uh dan

Braincell 1: where are you right now

Dan K: at the edge fo the universe

Dan K: or something

Dan K: you think i know where the fuck i am at any point in my life

I hope the fuck you do: fair point

Save me: dan i will murder you and then cry again probably

Dan K: take lync first

Dan K: he keeps on trying to get the phone back

Gus G: hit him in the head and tell him that was for vibechecking me 

Dan K: sure

Save me: aldkfjaskldj

Spectergadget: im proud of you Gus 

Gus G: thank you sir

Dear god help me: awww

Braincell 1: am i the only one concerned about how we're gonna get dan back?!

Dan K: ehhh

Braincell 1: oh my god

I hope the fuck you do: i mean

I hope the fuck you do: yesterday we were concerned if dan was really alive or not

I hope the fuck you do: so this is certainly a step up

Mira F: He's hanging out with the Vexos!

Dan K: didn't you do that too?

Twin Drills: D A N

Spectergadget: hey she was there for me so… 

Mira F:  _ listen _

Dan K: :P no

Baron L: wait what does vibe check mean?

Ace G: its a meme

Baron L: oh

Dear god help me: ok dan

Dan K: yeah

Dear god help me: could you ask mylene about her makeup

Twin Drills: w what

Mira F: why

Dear god help me: she may be evil cold and ruthless

Dear god help me: but her makeup is fly

Dan K: uh sure 

Dan K: if i can find her

Dan K: im kinda just wandering around

Dan K: oh theres volt

**Dan K is now offline**

Baron L: uh

Dear god help me: dans fucking dead

I hope the fuck you do: dan was slain by volt using vibecheck

**Dan K is now online**

**Dan K has changed Dan K to Volt**

Volt: your friend has been neturalized

Gus G: oh hello 

Gus G: Volt

Dear god help me: you could feel the salt leaking from that

Save me: don't hurt him!

Save me: please?

Volt: I have honor unlike some of you 

Volt: I simply knocked him out because i needed to do something

Twin Drills: wait

Twin Drills: wheres drago

Volt: Yelling at me. 

Dear god help me: volt gives no fucks

Volt: Actually

Volt: I mainly knocked him out to apologize

Mira F: I.. don't follow the logic there

Gus G: apologize for nearly killing all of us?

Gus G: you should

Volt: you were on our side once, traitor

Volt: don't act like you were always above it

Gus G: do I need to bring up brontes?

Gus G: Who abandoned him again?

Spectergadget: Gus 

Gus G: he deserves it

Spectergadget:  _ Gus  _

Gus G: fine

Gus G: sorry sir

Ace G: this is so weird to read

I hope the fuck you do: I feel like we're watching a standoff or something

Save me: uh 

Save me: what were you going to say before 

Volt: i have realized just how 

Volt: to put it in your terms

Volt: "fucked up"

Volt: it was to align with what the king was doing

Volt: and I apologize for that

Volt: really, when we abandoned our bakugan was when it hit me

Volt: but it was too late by then

Volt: so I apologize for my actions against you

Mira F: uh 

Ace G: we're not too quick to forgive

Save me: I'm*

Ace G: but thanks?

Baron L: this is great!

Baron L: You know, before i found out about the whole bakugan thing, you were my favorite of the vexos

Volt: r

Volt: really?

Gus G: you liked the big dumb idiot of the group?

I hope the fuck you do: i strive to be as salty as Gus 

Baron L: i thought of him as more the strong silent type!

Save me: I honestly don't know how to feel about any of this

Twin Drills: me neither

Volt: well drago is quite literally trying to bite my ear off

Save me: alskdfjas;lkfjdsafd

Spectergadget: never thought the holder of the perfect core would be so 

Spectergadget: unhinged

Dear god help me: the moment dans in danger, drago goes feral

Spectergadget: i suppose

Volt: i'll leave you for now

**Volt is now offline**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Confession Time: volt is my fav vexos. I'm pretty sure that if he had been able to, volt would've joined the brawlers the moment they threw out brontes. 
> 
> Anyways, Dan's not dead. yay!


	7. Press L to Regret

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ska yeet if you want a break from the chat you'll get that... soon (;

Dear god help me: wow

I hope the fuck you do: well

Braincell 1: that was an experience

Twin Drills: I honestly thought all the vexos were dead

Gus G: I think I would have prefered to be allowed to keep that belief

Spectergadget: we should probably find a way to get dan out of there though

Spectergadget: we don’t know how mylene and shadow are treating dan

Twin Drills: uh

Twin Drills: unless we can open portals that lead us to the end of the universe

Twin Drills: i dont think we’ll be able to find him

Spectergadget: i dont think my ship is prepared for that kind of travel

Save me: i mean

Save me: i can contact some people back at my place

Save me: but it’ll take us a while to get back there

Save me: plus we dont even know dnas coordinates

I hope the fuck you do: dnas

Save me: STOP

I hope the fuck you do: how can dan even still message this chat

I hope the fuck you do: hes halfway across the universe

Braincell 1: at this point, just dont question it

**Volt is now online**

**Volt has changed Volt to Drago**

Drago: Finally!

Baron L: Drago!

Drago: as dan would put it

Drago: volts a bitch

Twin Drills: aldkfjas;dlfjlksjfsda

Spectergadget: i cant believe i read that with my own two eyes

Drago: I had to wrestle the phone away from him

Drago: not a pleasant experience

Braincell 1: drago wheres dan

Drago: taking a nap on lyncs shoulder

Braincell 1: wow

Dear god help me: jealous alice?

Braincell 1: im a lesbian

Ace G: i thought you were japanese

Save me: adslkfjasd;fjsda

Twin Drills: weve come full circle

Spectergadget: this is 5x funnier than it really should be 

Mira F: Is Dan physically okay?

Drago: yes

Drago: im making sure of it

Gus G : you're a lot more 

Gus G : unpredictable than i initially thought

Spectergadget: its ok Gus you can say feral

Ace G: I honestly dont know what you expected

Drago: dan and i have been to hell and back

Drago: im not letting any of these spiky haired sad excuses for anime villains lay more than a finger on him

Dear god help me:  _ spiky haired sad excuses for anime villians _

Ace G: you didnt have to call out spectra 

Spectergadget: aslkfaslfdslakfsalj

I hope the fuck you do: damn

Twin Drills: drago takes no prisoners

Gus G: why should he

**Twin Drills has changed Gus G to saltierthanyou**

Saltierthanyou: whatever

Spectergadget: shes not wrong

Ace G: drago, where the hell are you two staying?

Drago: well you see

Drago: lyncs guarding our cell

Baron L: cell???

Twin Drills: of course they captured him and he didnt tell us

Save me: i mean dan is kinda the reason they ended up in that world in the first place

Save me: theyre not gonna give him a master bedroom 

Drago: lync is not a very good gaurd though

Drago: hence how dan got out and started running around

I hope the fuck you do: if i saw dan running around my house id probably knock him out too

Dear god help me: yeah but you havent tried to kill him before

I hope the fuck you do: thats debateable

Save me: moving on, drago do you have any idea where dna and you are?

Drago: dna?

Save me: DRAgO

Drago: no, i have no idea what planet me and dan are on

Twin Drills: do you have any idea how dan is still alive on that planet?

Drago: apparently the vexos made it so that there were breathable conditions for them

Drago: and they work for dan too i guess

I hope the fuck you do: im not even gonna bother with any of the problems with that statment

Saltierthanyou: be careful drago

Drago: you dont have to tell me twice

Twin Drills: the only person whos more saltier than Gus is probably drago

Drago: im not salty

Drago: im just more catious than dan

I hope the fuck you do: why did you send a message just saying bullshit drago

Spectergadget: thats a lie if i ever heard one 

Spectergadget: WOW 

Save me: alkdfjalkfsdalkjfads

Twin Drills: jeezus chirst shun

Drago: i am cautious!

Mira F: Wait, did Drago do something stupid or something?

Spectergadget: he continued to fight me in the vestal palace while it was blowign up around us

Drago: i was in the middle of a fight! I didnt have time to warn dan

Mira F: what was dan even doing anyway 

Ace G: how did dan not realize the castle was exploding around him? Thats kinda hard to miss

Dear god help me: its not for dan

Ace G: u know fair point

Spectergadget: we were having a sword fight for the ages

Twin Drills: dan can sword fight????

I hope the fuck you do: dan always had a weird fasination with swords

Spectergadget: hes pretty good at it

Spectergadget: he even knocked off my mask

Twin Drills: when did he get good at swords?

Drago: you didnt know?

Drago: he has a sword in his bedroom

I hope the fuck you do: WHAT

Save me: im not even surprised anymore

Twin Drills: i am 

Twin Drills: why would his parents like him keep that around the house

Drago: they don't know its there

Braincell 1: wow

Drago: anyways

Drago: dans awake so im gonna give the phone to him now

Twin Drills: bye drago

Twin Drills: tell dan hes an idiot

**Drago is now offline**

Braincell 1: so let me get this striaght

Briancell 1: dan ran away again, traveled by sea for a few days, then ends up being sucked into a black hole because the vexos dont know how to operate a portal from the other side of the universe and ends up stuck with them and probably captured and still continues to send messages to us through his phone

Ace G: basically

Braincell 1: god our lives are a mess

Dear god help me: we wouldnt have it any other way

Mira F: i would definitely have it a different way

I hope the fuck you do: so uh

I hope the fuck you do: whats our next move

Braincell 1: regroup at marucahos house and plan from there

I hope the fuck you do: yes mam

Ace G: wow shun

Ace G: I thought you were the leader of the brawlers without dan?

Save me: actually i was the leader

Save me: but alice is much better at leading than the two of us put together

I hope the fuck you do: yeah 

Ace G: ok bottoms

Save me: jaosipfhweaopirhfaewiokfl;dasjfw;kaj

I hope the fuck you do: how did you

Ace G: theres a lot more info we have on humans than we should have

Ace G: espically about their culture

Twin Drills: im terrified

Mira F: wait what does it mean

**Twin Drills has muted Ace G**

Baron L: wait I wanted to know

Braincell 1: no you dont

Twin Drills: no you really dont

Mira F: wow ok

Dear god help me: we must keep them pure

Saltierthanyou: you called me a bottom first

Dear god help me: but ive learned the errors of my ways

Spectergadget: thats a lie and everyone knows it

Dear god help me: mayhaps

**Twin Drills has changed Dear god help me to Cursed**

Cursed: wow ok

Twin Drills: andddd

**Twin Drills has changed Ace G to Blursed**

Baron L: whyd you give them matching titles

Twin Drills: dna has left me with the powers of a mod and i will not let them go to waste

Cursed: 1 fear

Spectergadget: 1 fear

Save me: dna

**Twin Drills has muted Save me**


	8. Press + to Disagree

**Twin Drills has unmuted Blursed**

Blursed: you left me muted for 5 hours

Twin Drills: i got bored

Spectergadget: i can tell

Mira F: Marucaho's still muted tho

Twin Drills: good

I hope the fuck you do: wow

Mira F: Anyways

Mira F: Are you guys home yet

Twin Drills: blame the ships shit controls

Mira F: Im taking that as a no

Baron L: Im still really worried

Blursed: Baron hes gonna be fine 

Blursed: hes dan

Baron L: but hes stuck in area crawling with vexos

**Drago is now online**

Baron L: oh hey!

**Drago has changed Drago to Lync**

Baron L: oh no

Lync: guess whoooss baccckkk

**Saltierthanyou is now offline**

Spectergadget: lafjas;dfjsalflk

Lync: wow i wouldn’t have suspected that the right hand man of the spectra was a coward

Lync: oh wait, I would!

Twin Drills: what do you want lync

Lync: a question actually

Lync: about humans

I hope the fuck you do: just feed dan a meat soup or something he really likes those

Lync: what?

I hope the fuck you do: oh i thought dan was being a picky eater again

Lync: no, thats not what i was asking

Lync: is it normal to have blackened parts of the skin on the back of the neck 

Braincell 1: WHAT

Twin Drills: THERYE”S WHAT AROUND DANS NECK

**Twin Drills has unmuted Save me**

Save me: W HA T THE FUCK

Lync: im guessing thats a no?

I hope the fuck you do: wait lync

I hope the fuck you do: what do they look like

Lync: i dunno 

Lync: kinda like

Lync: a claw thing I guess?

Lync: the black is pretty faded

Blusred: a black claw mark thing on his back?

Mira F: That wasn’t there when he was with the resistance

I hope the fuck you do: or before he left for new vestoria

Baron L: is it a diesease? Does he need medicene?

Lync: he aint getting any here

Blursed: is that a threat or just a fact

Lync: its a threat

Twin Drills: its a fact

Save me: ldkasjfasdl

Braincell 1: lync

Braincell 1: give dan his phone back

Lync: why

Braincell 1: Lync

Braincell 1: Give The Phone To Dan

Lync: right away

Blursed: i feel like im missing something

Cursed: youre really not

**Lync has changed Lync to Dan K**

Dan K: whats going on 

Dan K: why did lync say “youre in for it now dragon boy”

Twin Drills: because you are

Braincell 1: Dan 

Braincell 1: Scroll up

Dan K: oh 

Dan K: uh

I hope the fuck you do: i swear to the perfect core dan

Dan K: listen 

Mira F: Trust me

Mira F: We’re all ears

Baron L: youre not sick are you?!

Dan K: Im  _ fine _

Dan K: it was just a lil accident

I hope the fuck you do: a little accident that left you with black claw marks running down your neck?

Dan K: drago didnt mean to do it!

Twin Drills: DRAGO DID IT?!

Dan K: we were just training!

Save me: dan youre making this worse every second

Dan K: look, its fine!

Dan K: drago was just having a little trouble controlling himself with those visions and all!

Dan K: it doesnt even hurt that much anymore!

Blursed: dan 

Blursed: how did drago manage to scratch your neck hard enough to create a black scar on it

Blursed: on accident???

Dan K: are you saying he did it on purpose?!

Blursed: no but like 

Dan K: theres nothing to worry about 

Dan K: Im fine _ , thank you _

I hope the fuck you do: i think you should go get that checked out, at least

Dan K: what am i supposed to tell the doctor??

Dan K: my dragon friend was having a panic attack and accidently burned my neck??

Blursed: friends dont usually stab friends in the neck 

Dan K: friends also dont abandon their friends and call them crazy and a traitor when theyre having awful visions just because they took some time for themselves, but look at what the rest of you did

Baron L: what

Spectergadget: holy shit

Braincell 1: dan we’re just worried 

Braincell 1: how long did you have that injury?

Dan K: i dont know and i dont care

Dan K: goodnight

**Dan K is now offline!**


	9. Press ESC To Exit Game

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to stop. My hyperfixiations are going out of control. I'm jumping to one fandom to the next at the speed of which could be considered parkour. My need to write new chatfics is growing too strong to surpress. If I don't make it out alive, I'm sorry.
> 
> Anyways, sorry bout this short chapter. Next one will be a lot longer.

Twin Drills: Well

Braincell 1: that did not go well at all

Mira F: ace why did you say that?

Blursed: say what?

Mira F: whyd you make it sound like you thought drago hurt dan on purpose

**Spectergadget changed Blursed to imbobothefool**

Mira F: youre not helping in the slightest

Spectergadget: sorry

Imbobothefool: i dont get it

Imbobothefool: i just said how stupid it sounded

Baron L: if i said that percival might have hurt you on purpose, how would you feel?

Imbobothefool: uh

Imbobothefool: fuck

Baron L: thought so 

Save me: that was a shit show and a half

Baron L: you act like youre more mature than me, yet you have the empathy of a 5 year old

Baron L: i would know

I hope the fuck you do: i did not see that coming

Mira F: holy

imbobothefool: what was he even talking about?

imbobothefoolt: being abandoned?

Braincell 1: marucaho and shun were with him when the whole mag mel thing started happening

Braincell 1: can you tell us what happened after he came back from new vestoria 

Save me: oh look at that im being murdered

**Save me is now offline!**

Twin Drills: you little 

Braincell 1: shun?

**I hope the fuck you do is now offline!**

Twin Drills: he didnt even say bye

Mira F: What about you, keith?

Spectergadget: well to be honest i had no idea i got a distress call, showed up, and then dan came in and i was like "cool" but then the three of them all started yelling at each other so i decided to leave for a bit so that i woudn't get involved

Mira F: No offense

Mira F: but ur a fucking idiot 

Spectergadget: thanks

Baron L: i dont know how to feel about any of this

Mira F: i dont think anyone does

Braincell 1: well time to start hunting them 

Twin Drills: they dont have many places to hide so it’ll be easier

Mira F: keith

Spectergadget: what

Mira F: if you still have some of the files on the kings airship, we could perhaps find a way to make a ship that could travel as fast as that, maybe even more

Spectergadget: can i design the ship

Mira F: No

Baron L: can I?

Mira F: Of course

Spectergadget: i cant believe this

Mira F: One, you already have a ship. Two, your ship designs will be instantly regonziable by the vexos if we do manage to find them, and considering your relationship with them, that’s not a good thing. Three, out of the two of you, there is only one responsible older brother

**Saltierthanyou is now online!**

Saltierthanyou: shes right sir

**Saltierthanyou is now offline!**

Imbobothefool: he came on just to trash talk you

Spectergadget: i dont know whether to be mad or impressed

Mira F: im impressed and proud

Mira F: and youre coming to ace

Imbobothefool:sure whatever

Mira F: The rest of us will talk later I guess?

Cursed: yeah, we’ll talk again once we get back to marucahos house

Twin Drills: and once we murder the other two

Baron L: please dont murder them!

Spectergadget: its a figure of speech baron

Baron L: oh

Imbobothefool: see ya i guess

Baron L: talk you you later!

**Baron L is now offline!**

**Spectergadget is now offline!**

**Imbobothefool is now offline!**

**Mira F is now offline!**

**Cursed is now offline!**

**Braincell 1 is now offline!**

Twin Drills: last

**Twin Drills is now offline!**

I  **hope the fuck you do is now online!**

I hope the fuck you do: no me

**I hope the fuck you do is now offline!**


	10. Take A Break And Exercise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Take a break.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Im alive. I have nothing to say for myself in my abesence. But goddamn, I had to rewrite the part so many fucking times you won't believe it. At first it was just Dan. Then it was just Shun. Then it was Lync and Dan. Jesus chirst writing is hard.

Baron hated the suffocating silence. 

He almost missed the argument before, because at least then Baron could pretend they were doing more than sitting in a car and waiting to get to somewhere that may or may not have the key to build a ship and rescue Dan. 

It was infuriating. A part of Baron wished he hadn’t stayed behind just to watch over his family. But the damage was done. 

He stared out the window again, watching as the city of Gamma flashed before his eyes. 

How could they miss something wrong with Dan?

Sure, Ace and him hadn’t seen Dan for a while, but Keith and Mira sure had! They had seen him suffer. They had seem him go through… whatever happened. And yet, Ace and Mira were sitting here bickering like children, while Keith was doing who knows what with Gus!

All and all, Baron was reaching his breaking point. Because this was Dan. 

Dan, the boy who picked him up at his worst, right after he lost Tigress. Dan, who sat there and mentored him and helped him through the resistance. Dan, who listened to him ramble on about how bad he was and kept on saying  _ ‘I still believe in you.’  _ Dan, who never once got mad at him for all the brawls he lost and everything he screwed up. Dan, who led the charge into the King’s palace and didn’t stop until the job was done. 

He narrowed his eyes, and decided he had enough. 

“Did you notice anything when you there on Earth?”

Mira stopped staring out the window to turn to him, and blinked. “I didn’t really see him that much. I mainly stayed with Julie during that time.” She looked away from them, and Baron really hoped she knew just how little that answer helped. 

Ace scoffed very loudly, turning to face the window on his side. “You didn’t even bother to check, Mira? I thought you were supposed to care about people you have crushes on.”

“Why you-?! Do you have any idea what you’re talking about?!”

“As if you know anything more!”

“Oh please Ace, you didn’t even bother to go!”

“Mira, I swear-”

Baron quietly reminded himself to tip the driver extra, even if he was a robot. 

* * *

Trying to avoid his friends by hiding on top of the roof and staring off into the sea was not the way Shun wanted to spend his evening, but it would have to do. 

His eyes remained on the sea, watching as the waves slowly went up and down. If he focused on the sound enough, he could ignore Runo yelling for him and the sound of thumping feet below. 

Maybe he could’ve fallen asleep right then and there. It wouldn’t have been the first time he had fallen asleep alone and cold and it’s not like he didn’t want to. But something kept him up. That nagging feeling in the back of his mind, going over every interaction with Dan before he ran away. 

His hands curled into fists. It always came back to Dan, didn’t it?

From the moment those cards fell from the sky and landed in their hands, it came back to him. The moment they formed their group and started to make those damned rules that would end up nearly killing them, it came back to him. He led, they followed. That’s how it worked. 

And that’s how it continued to work. Through Vestroia, through Gundaila, and right to Mag Mel’s palace, they followed him, willingly or not. 

He knew why Maruchao followed. Dan was his first friend, and Bakugan were his first taste of freedom. And even though he tried his best to get rid of the person- no, robot- he was before they met, a part of him still lived to please. And Dan’s intense, well,  _ Dan-ness,  _ had somehow made him a number one priority in that part of Marucaho’s mind. 

Speaking of Maruchao, from the sound of shouting and very rushed thumping signaled that he had been caught in this little… hide and seek game? 

It was certainly an apt description of whatever they were doing. Going back to the start of the disaster that led them here was a painful memory, and they both would do anything to avoid talking about that point in their lives. 

It was painful to even think about. The amount of anger and pain that generated between the three of them was obvious even to the most casual of fans. The things Dan- no, all of them- had left unsaid had turned into knives and dug into each of them, leading to them all pushing themselves too far while pushing the anyone else away. 

Shun turned to face the other side of the boat, the breeze flowing around him like he was a stone in a river. It always came back to Dan, didn’t it?

Some days, he would close his eyes and be back there, 5 years ago, with them still coming up with the rules. He remembered how much time they spent in front of their screens, making up those stupid rules about the stupid game like the stupid 12 year olds they were. 

What Shun wouldn’t give to relive that again. To relive that feeling of being whole. Of being fulfilled. Of having  _ fun.  _

His closed his eyes again. Maybe once they got Dan home, they could talk again. Maybe they could fix… something. Maybe not everything, but something. And maybe they could play again. Just the two of them. Maybe even Marucho too. Just the three of them. Maybe it would be good again. 

Maybe they would feel human again. 

* * *

“Do you consider the Vexos your friends?”

Lync had been completely caught off guard by the question, almost falling off of his makeshift stool. 

“W-what?”

When he looked up, he saw Dan staring at him, a blank look covering his face. 

“You heard me. Do you think the rest of the Vexos are your friends?”

Lync continued to stare at him for another moment, as if he were expecting a punchline or something. 

“I don’t know.”

That was not the answer Dan was looking for, clear by the frown on his face. 

“You don’t know if these people you’ve spent 2 years in exile with these people and you don’t know if they are your friends or not?” Dan replied, the skepticism ringing clear in his face. He turned to face the ceiling, his eyes still narrowed into slits. “You guys are stupider than I thought.”

Lync continued to stare at him. “We’re work partners who all got banished to the same planet. There’s not really much room for friendship when you’re struggling to survive.”

“Julie told me that similar traumas can help a growing relationship,” Dan replied. 

“What does that even mean?” 

“I don’t know.”

Lync turned his back to the cell, staring off into the empty walls. A moment of silence followed as they both stared at the bland environment around them. 

After a long time, Lync finally spoke. “What even are friends?”

Dan took a look at him, then to Drago, who had been taking a nap for the past hour or so. He thought about the question for a while, trying to ignore the anxiety of not knowing the answer to something that should have been obvious. 

“It’s like… when you hang out with someone a lot, and you like them. When you talk and you want to talk more. It’s kinda like a diet version of love, I guess.”

One look at Lync told Dan pretty clearly that he didn’t understand a single thing he said. Said boy wore a large frown on his face, staring at him again, with those empty, Vestal eyes Dan never really managed to get used too. 

“If it’s just about who you like, then I don’t have any friends. I don’t like anyone.”

“Not even Alice?”

And Lync jumped, actually jumped, because he wasn’t expecting  _ that _ , and turned around as fast as he could, facing the cage again, protests on the tip of his tongue, but they turned into a scowl the moment he saw Dan’s self assured grin, like he was playing a game he already won. 

“You must have liked her a lot if it meant trying to save her from King Zenoheld.” Dan’s voice was teasing, tempting him. “You sure she wasn’t your friend?”

Lync had thought he had gotten over this, in all honesty. Mylene had asked him about it the moment they had found him, sheltering from the harsh storm that surrounded the base. He lied then, saying that he dropped it when Prince Hydron was chasing him. It was probably the worst lie he ever told, considering even Volt stared at him with doubt. But they moved on. They had bigger things to worry about. How Dan found out he had meant to drop it was a mystery he honestly couldn’t bother solving. 

“She’s not my friend!” he shouted a little too loudly. “She… she was the closest I could get too. I just wanted to show Hydron up!” He nodded, as the lie that he had been trying to spin to the rest of the Vesox was clearly falling apart in Dan’s eyes. “Yeah, that’s it. I just wanted to show Hydron up. What happened to him anyway?”

Dan’s smirk instantly vanished. Apparently, Lync’s desperate attempt to change the subject had somehow managed to work. Dan turned away, his face carefully blank and his voice disturbingly monotone. 

“He sacrificed himself.”

_ What? _

“We… we invaded the king’s ship, and apparently Hydron had betrayed him or something, because he was locked up with Gus. They broke out, and we stopped the king, but the ship was going to explode, so we all left, and then…” Dan shook his head, as if he was trying to get rid of a bad memory or something. “... he didn’t make it out in time.”

Lync didn’t know what to think of that. Hydron was dead. Had been dead. Gone. Not here. In a better place.

No chance of seeing him again. No chance of getting revenge. No chance to make things right. No chance to-

“Shut up!” he yelled, and then promptly covered his mouth. 

“I didn’t say anything,” said a slightly curious and very annoyed Dan. 

“Just.. shut up. I didn’t give you permission to speak.”

Dan opened his mouth to say something, but decided against it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave comments if you enjoyed this work! I enjoy writing it. And rewriting it. And rewriting it.


	11. Press Any Button To Start Game

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IM ALIVE! holy shit its nearly been a year since ive updated this story. sorry my dudes covid really just came and kicked my ass. damn.   
> oh well. enjoy a chapter a wrote a year ago but never got around to publishing!

**Private Messages: Spectergadget, Dan K, Baron L**

Dan K: ?

Baron L: whats your favorite color

Dan K: uh

Dan K: wh

Spectergadget: im telling you its red

Baron L: blood orange

Spectergadget: its fucking red, you pretentious ass

Dan K: be nice 

Spectergadget: anyone who calls red blood orange is dead to me 

Baron L: knock some sense into him dan

Dan K: boys boys youre both pretty

Baron L: what

Spectergadget: thanks

Dan K: anyways

Dan K: my favorite color is a really dark red like maroon

Spectergadget: wow ok

Baron L: ok!

Dan K: why tho

Baron L: we were talking about the colors we should paint the ship once we can find out how to build it

Baron L: and because none of us could decide on one color, we just decided to ask you

Spectergadget: i dont know how you guys didnt fight over that tank thing you rode in 

Baron L: im glad you think we were mature enough to not 

Baron L: painting it white was just a last ditch attempt for some harmony 

Dan K: wait why are you making a ship 

Spectergadget: to save your sorry ass

Dan K: what?

Baron L: Dan

Baron L: youre stuck with a group of people who once wanted to murder all the bakugan on new vestoria

Baron L: it doesnt matter that theyre not trying to murder you at the moment, you cant stay there

Baron L: if anything bad happens, no doubt youll be the first cut off

Spectergadget: that and i wanna rub it in their faces that they got stuck on a desert planet while i didnt 

Spectergadget: thats for BETRAYING ME BITCHES

Dan K: you

Dan K: you guys are coming after me?

Spectergadget: no shit

Baron L: why would we leave you there?????

Dan K: well

Dan K: you know what nvm

Spectergadget: also i think runos going mad with power so if you could nerf her

Dan K: sure

**Main Chat: Dan K, Twin Drills, i hope th…(11)**

**Twin Drills is now online!**

Twin Drills: First

**Mira F is now online!**

Mira F: update: we found some old blueprints

Mira F: why did you say first

Twin Drills: i wanted the last text and the first text

Mira F: But shun got the last text

Twin Drills: wait

Twin Drills: MOTHERFUCKER

Twin Drills: we cant even find him now cause of his stupid ninja skills

Twin Drills: dans usually the only one that can find him but uh

Mira F: yeah

**Save me is now online**

Save me: alice almost accidently threw me overboard

**Braincell 1 is now online!**

Braincell 1: “accidently”

Save me: wow thanks

Mira F: what happened to dan exactly, marucaho?

Save me: dan started to have visions or whatever

Save me: AND WE TOLD HIM TO TAKE A BREAK

Save me: but he didnt listen and then lost a brawl to this dude who was causing a lot of trouble

Save me: and then left

Save me: he came back but like

Save me: the damage was done

Mira F: to him or you?

Save me: wow

Braincell 1: chasing him was a nightmare

Twin Drills: she had to use the masquerade voice

Mira F: wow 

Mira F: you know, i always wondered what masquerade sounded like

Save me: no you dont

**Cursed is now online!**

Cursed: it still haunts me sometimes

Twin Drills: the voice or that time we were all sent into hell by him?

Mira F: you

Mira F: You what

Cursed: both really

Cursed: oh, you didnt know?

Cursed: dan lost a brawl to masquerade and nearly sent drago to bakugan hell, but dan was like hell naw and jumped after him

Mira F: why am i not surprised

**Imbobothefool is now online!**

Imbobothefool: i dont know how to feel about that

Cursed: thats not the first time dan has techincally died

Mira F: i dont think i want to know anymore

Imbobothefool: i do

**I hope the fuck you do is now online**

Twin Drills: YOU

I hope the fuck you do: tldr: i tried to fight dan when i was like 5, ended up with both of us nearly drowning and dans heart stopping for a few seconds

Mira F: what the fuck

Imbobothefool: did you win

I hope the fuck you do: no, i surrendered when dan stopped breathing 

Imbobothefool: youve couldve won

Mira F: Are you ignoring runo

I hope the fuck you do: im hiding from her

Braincell 1: the longer you hide, the worse it gets

**I hope the fuck you do is now offline!**

Twin Drills: well shuns gonna gucking die

Mira F: gucking?

Twin Drills: i’ll let you off easy this time

**Dan K is now online!**

Save me: holy

Imbobothefool: wow youre back already

Dan K: it is time

Dan K: to smite someone 

Braincell 1: dan! 

Braincell 1: wait what

Twin Drills: what

**Dan K has removed Twin Drill’s admin prviliages!**

Twin Drills: what the fuck 

Dan K: thou has been smitied

Twin Drills: what did i do

Dan K: i dunno but keith told me to so i did it

Braincell 1: you listen to him but not us

Dan K: yeah

Save me: asldkfjasklfjdas;f

**Spectergadget is now online!**

Spectergadget: im his prophet

Dan K: sure

Save me: i cant belive what im reading 

Mira F: gus is lik 85% of his brain power what did you expect

Save me: lik

Spectergadget: lik

Mira F: dan smite your priest

Spectergadget: you honestly think he will

**Dan K has removed Spectergadget’s admin prviliages!**

Dan K: yeet

Spectergadget: what the fuck

Dan K:i am but a servant to the people. No matter the screams of the few, the will of the many will always overpower, no matter what happens to them. Many screams will always outweigh a few shouts 

Spectergadget: i quit this religon

Dan K: guess mira’s the new priest now

Mira F: Wow

Spectergadget: you took everything from me

Mira F: Like I care

Save me: daslkfdjslajlkasdj

Dan K: you just said you quit

Imbobothefool: id say im surprised but im really not

Braincell 1: dan you have a breakdown, and come back on as a god

Dan K: i suddenly cant read

Braincell 1: Dan

Dan K: what

Twin Drills: stop running away from your emtional issues you fuckwit

Spectergadget:  _ fuckwit _

Imbobothefool: ur not helping keith

**Dan K has changed imbobothefool to aceyedge**

**Dan K is now offline!**

Spectergadget: great you scared him away

Twin Drills: i feel like even if i strangle him he won't say anything

Aceyedge: its kinda hard to talk when you're being strangled

Twin Drills: shut

Aceyedge: you were smited you hold no power over me

Cursed: mira control your boyfriend

Mira F: no

Mira F: i am now a preist. I have better things to do

Twin Drills: youre taking this seriously huh

Mira F: not really i just like saying it

Twin Drills: wait ace is your boyfriend

Mira F: no?

Aceyedge: no shes not!

Aceyedge: she has a crush on dan anyways 

**Mira F has muted Aceyedge**

Save me: dalkfjkaslfjasdlkfas

Twin Drills: why did ace turn out to be so cursed

Cursed: owo whuts thwis? Miwa hwas a cwush on dwan?

Save me: oh god the hellspeak has returned

Mira F: what the fuck

Spectergadget: you know shes mad when she swears

Twin Drills: you do realize dan can scroll up right

Save me: it was nice knowing you mira

Mira F: h

Spectergadget: can we get a f in the chat

**Mira F has muted Spectergadget**

Mira F: anyone else

Save me: i got unmuted like 4 days ago so no

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for all the comments, even though i havent been updating! also thanks for reminding me that this story exists lol.


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